Travelling to Kraków? What to see and do in Europe’s ‘best leisure destination’

Kraków, the once royal capital of Poland, is stepping further into the European travel spotlight after being crowned the continent’s best leisure destination by Global Traveler magazine. In its 2026 Leisure Lifestyle Awards, the southern Polish city ranked ahead of Seville, Porto, Istanbul, and Lisbon, with the winning destinations chosen by votes cast in a survey by Global Traveler’s readership. This recognition comes amid continued interest in Kraków, which welcomed almost 700,000 international visitors in 2025. Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States were among the largest tourism markets. As visitor numbers show no sign of decline, local authorities have been weighing measures aimed at managing tourism more sustainably. Discussions surrounding the introduction of a tourist tax have been ongoing since 2017, with proposed funds earmarked to support public space maintenance, preserve local heritage, and ease the pressures on residents caused by a growing demand for the city’s leisure tourism. This proactive approach aims to balance the influx of tourists with the needs of the local community, ensuring that Kraków remains a vibrant and welcoming destination. Round-trip fares from Brussels to Kraków can cost as low as €67 per passenger this summer, with a night’s sleep in a budget hotel costing around €40, making the Polish city one of Europe’s more affordable getaways. The city's historic centre spans the medieval chartered City of Kraków, the Wawel Hill complex, and the district of Kazimierz. It entered the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978 and houses Poland's largest number of historic buildings of the highest historical and artistic value. Cultured travellers will relish the centre's restored Czartoryski Museum, which includes Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine" portrait in its collection. Kraków is very easy to discover on foot. Leafy scenes such as in Decius Park, one of the city's oldest parks, are famed for floral displays and hornbeam trees. Dedicated cycling routes, such as the Vistula Cycling Route, are great for experiencing the city at a calm pace. Have a need for speed? Whether whizzing on a racetrack or on ice, the city has various go-karting centres and indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks. While areas like the “little Lake District” in Przylasek Rusiecki offer bathing spots that have free entry during the summer. Other leisure centres include bowling alleys, paintball parks, indoor and outdoor rock climbing centres, as well as centres like GOjump, where visitors can explore parkour, snowboarding, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, and aerial yoga. Saving on airfare and board leaves plenty of room in the budget to splurge on food, whether that’s wallet-friendly local bites or dining at restaurants which bring a big price tag. Poland’s answer to pizza, zapiekanka, makes for a satisfying, cheap dinner. The street food classic is a popular snack which consists of a half baguette topped with whatever you fancy. And if y…